California Republican congressman concedes competitive race to Democratic challenger

Rep. Mike Garcia, R-Calif., has gracefully conceded his race to Democratic challenger George Whitesides in the 27th Congressional District of California. While Garcia has conceded, the Associated Press has not yet called the race for Whitesides, who currently holds a 2-point lead with 83% of the votes counted, equating to roughly 7,000 votes.

In a statement, Garcia expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to serve his country since the age of 18, highlighting his time representing the people of California’s 27th Congressional District as an honor of a lifetime. He extended his thanks to his family, staff, and volunteers who supported his campaign. Garcia also mentioned that he spoke with Whitesides to congratulate him and ensure a smooth transition of open constituent case work packages to the incoming representative.

Whitesides accepted Garcia’s concession and expressed his gratitude for Garcia’s years of service to the district and the nation. He outlined his priorities in Congress, promising to fight for creating more local jobs, reducing everyday costs, building safe communities, protecting Social Security and Medicare, and safeguarding reproductive freedom.

Garcia’s race was one of several House races yet to be decided, with Republicans currently holding 214 seats, just four wins away from controlling the chamber. Many undecided seats are in the western U.S. or swing districts in states like Arizona, Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, Louisiana, Ohio, Maryland, New York, Maine, and Alaska.

The path to a Democratic majority in the House appears to be narrowing, with the party needing to secure victories in the most hotly contested races to gain power. As the final House races across the country are called, the political landscape continues to shift.

The article includes images of the candidates and House leaders, providing a visual representation of the political dynamics at play. With House Speaker Mike Johnson likely to retain his position and Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries facing challenges in achieving a majority, the balance of power in the House remains uncertain.

For more updates on national politics and breaking news events, stay tuned to Fox News Digital. Contributions to this report were made by Chris Pandolfo and Sarah Rumpf Whitten. For tips and inquiries, reach out to reporter Anders Hagstrom at Anders.Hagstrom@Fox.com or on Twitter: @Hagstrom_Anders.